Water-softening apparatus



Dec. 30, 1930. E. T. TURNER 1,787,129

WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 SOFTNER ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1930. E. T. TURNER 1,737,129

WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 51, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/AIII/ENIZUILER, E. T Tu N W Xfld ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1930 EDWARD :r. TURNER, or DAYTON, 0310 WATER-SOETENING APPARATUS Application filed August 31, 1925. Serial No. 53,524.

This invention relates to Water softening apparatus and more particularly to a controlling mechanism, comprisin a hydraulic valve, for use in connection with automatic water softening devices and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide in such a controlling mechanism a hydraulic valve, the operation of which will be controlled by a pilot valve which in turn will be automatically operated at intervals determined by the quantity of water delivered to the softening apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a valve which will be simple in construction, positive in operation, and which will not be easily disarranged so as to interfere with its operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a water softening apparatus, showing my invention applied thereto;

ig. 2 is a sectional view taken centrally through the hydraulic valve; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the actuating cam for the pilot valve which controls the drain valve; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the cam and actuating rod for the pilot valve which controls the regenerating solution valve; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one of the pilot-valves.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as applied to an automatic water softening apparatus of the type shown and described in the application for patent filed by me February 23, 1925, Serial No. 11,435,

but it will be understood that this particular embodiment invention has been chosen for the purpose of illustration only and that the 40 valve and its controlling mechanism may take various forms and may be applied to apparatuses of various kinds.

\ The water softening apparatus here shown comprises a container 1 which is adapted to contain water softening material, such as zeolite, glauconite or the like, which material has the property of exchangingits normal base for the substances which harden water, such as calcium and magnesium. In

60 the water softening operation the softening material gradually becomes exhausted, due to the more or less complete exchange of its base, so that it will no longer properly soften the water. It is then necessary to recondition the water softening material, which is done by subjecting it to the action of a regenerating solution, such as salt water, Whicn will displace the magnesium or calcium which has been taken up by the material and restore the normal base of the material. After the normal base of the water softening material has been restored the material is subjected to the action of wash water which carries the salt water and the sediment out of the container and rinses the material to put it in condition for further softening operation.

In the present arrangement of the apparatus the water flows through the container in one direction during all three periods of softening and reconditioning operations, but it will be understood that, as explained in the above mentioned application, the water may be caused to flow in one direction during one or more of these periods and in the other direction during the other period or periods. In this arrangement of the apparatus the lower portion of the container is connected by a supply pipe 2 with a suitable source of supply for hard water, such as the city water main. The upper portion of the container is connected, by means of a pipe 3, with a service pipe 4, which leads to the faucet or other point of discharge for soft water. A drain pipe 5 leads from the upper portion of the container and is here shown as connected therewith by the pipe 3. g A check valve 6 is interposed in the service pipe and so arranged that it will be closedby the back pressure of the water in service line when the drain pipe 5 is open. Regenerating solution is supplied to the container by means of a pipe 7 leading from a suitable source of supply for regenerating solution, such as a brine tank 8. The regenerating solution pipe may be connected with the container in any suitable manner, but I prefer to connect it with the supply pipe r. so that the brine will be carried into the container by the hard water, the supply pipe being provided with an injector 9 for this purpose.

The flow of liquid through the drain pipe 5 is controlled by a valve 10 and the flow of liquid through the regenerating solution pipe 7 is controlled by a valve 11. During the water softening operation both the valves, 10 and 11, are closed and the hard water entering the container at the bottom thereof passes upwardly through the water softening material and is discharged through the service pipe 4. lVhen the material is to be regenerated the valves 10 and 11 are both opened. thus causing the regenerating solution to be delivered to the bottom of the container and to be discharged from the top thereof through the drain pipe. After the water softening material has been subjected to the action of the regenerating solution for a period of time suflicient to restore its normal base the valve 11 of the regenerating solution pipe is closed, but the valve 10 of the drain pipe is allowed to remain open for a further period of time to permit water from the supply pipe to pass through the container and out through the drain pipe and to thus serve as wash water to clear the container and the water softening material of the regenerating solution. At the end of this latter period the valve 10 of the drain pipe is closed, thus again restoring the water softening operation. v

The valves 10 and 11 and their controlling mechanisms are identical in their construction and operation, with the exception of a difference in the timing of their movements, and it will therefore be necessary to describe but oneof these valves. Referring to the valve 10 of the drain pipe. it will be noted that this valve comprises a housing 12 provided within the same with a valve seat 13, surrounding a port which opens into a relatively large valve chamber 14 arranged in the upper part of the housing. A valve mem ber 15 is mounted in this valve chamber for vertical movement into and out of engagement with the valve seat 13. A spring 16, confined between the valve member 15 and the bottom of the valve housing, tends to move the valve member away from its seat and thus open the valve to permit'the flow of liquid through the drain pipe. Mounted in the upper portion of the valve chamber 14 is a diaphragm 17, which is here shown as clamped at its edges between a flange 18 on the upper end of the housing and a cap or top plate 19 which is rigidly secured to the housing and which has a cavity 1911 constituting a diaphragm chamber. Bearing against the lower side of the diaphragm is a plate or disk 20 which is carried by a stem 21 slidably mounted in a guide-way 22 supported by a spider 23. The lower end of the stem 21 rests in a recess 24 in the top of the valve member 15, so that when pressure is applied to the upper surface of the diaphragm 17 this pressure will be transmitted to the valve member 15 and will force the same against its seat. and retain it thereon, and when the pressure above the diaphragm is relieved the spring 16 will force the valve to its open position. The diaphragm chamber 19a is connected by a pipe 25 with the source of supply for hard water and is here shown as connected with the supply pipe 2. The pipe 25 is provided with a restricted orifire. as shown at 26. of a relatively small capacity. The diaphragm chamber 190, is also connected with a relief valve, or pilot valve, by means of which the pressure above the diaphragm may be controlled. In the present instance the pipe 25 is connected by pipe 27 with one side of a relief valve 28, the other side of which is connected by a pipe 29 with the drain pipe. The opening of the relief valve 28 will divert the flow of water from the valve 10 and, because of the restricted orilice in the pipe 25. will cause the pressureon the diaphragm to be entirely removed 01' to be reduced to such an extent that the spring 16 will unseat the valve member 15. The. relief valve 28 is opened and closed at intervals determined by the quantity of water delivered to the container and in the present apparatus I have provided a motor 30 which is operated by the water delivered to the container. and which is here shown as interposed in the supply pipe 2 in advance of the container, and have provided an actuating device for the relief valve which will be controlled by this motor. It will be apparent that the movement of the motor is in accordance with the quantity of water passing through in same and that it thus constitutes a meter. The motor may be of any suitable character and it is not necessary to here describe the same in detail, but,it will suflice to note that it comprises a shaft 31 which is journaled in suitable bearings in a frame 32. which is here shown as mounted on the motor casing. A worm 33 is rigidly secured to the shaft 31 and meshes with a worm wheel 34 mounted on a shaft 35 which is also journaled in the frame 32. The relief valve may be of any suitable character and is here shown as comprising a reciprocatory valve stem 36, the upward movement of which serves to close the valve and the downward movement of which serves to open the valve. This valve stem is pivotally connected at its outer end with a lever 37 which in turn is pivotally mounted between its ends on a link 38. which is pivotally supported on a bracket 39 carried by the valve housing. The other end of the lever 37 is pivotally connected with an actuating rod 40 which is slidably mounted in a guide 41 carried by the frame 32. A spring 42 confined between the guide 41 and a stop 42a secured to the actuating rod tends to move the actuating rod upwardly and to thus open the valve. That portion of the actuating rod 40 which extends below the guideway 41 is provided with a projection, such as a roller 43, arranged to be engaged by a cam secured to the shaft 35, this cam being of such a character that it will move the actuating rod downwardly and thus close the valve 28. The cam may be of any suitable character, but I prefer that it should consist of two parts or disks, 44 and 45, which are adjustable relatively one to the other so that the relative lengths of the different parts of the cam surface may be varied to vary the intervals at which the pilot valve is operated. As here shown the two parts or disks, 44 and 45. of the cam are rigidly secured to the shaft 35 by means of nuts 46 which clamp the same against shoulders on the shaft 35, these shoulders being so arranged as to space the two parts of the cam one from the other and thus provide a space in which the lower portion of the actuating rod may be mounted between the two parts of the cam. Preferablythis part of the rod is flat and is provided with a longitudinal slot 47 to receive the shaft 35, and it is provided with two projections 43 arranged to engage the respective parts of the cam. It will be noted, as shown in Fig. 3, that the cam as a whole has a relatively long concentric surface and is provided in one side thereof with a relatively short recess, the arrangement being such that when the concentric portion of the cam is in contact with one or both of the projections 43, the actuating rod will be held in its lowermost position and the valve retained in its closed position; but when the recess in the cam is moved into line with projections 43 the spring 42 will move the actuating rod upwardly and thus open the valve and retain the same in open position until the concentric portion of one part of the cam again engages its co-operating projection 43 and thus closes the valve.

Valve 11 of the regenerating solutlon pipe is cont-rolled by a pilot valve 48 the operation of which is controlled from the motor by a cam 49. As has been stated the construction and operation of the controlling mechanism for the pilot valve 48 is identical with that ofthe controlling mechanism for the pilot valve 28, with the exception that the two parts of the cam 49 are so positioned with relation one to the other that the recess in the periphery of that cam is somewhat shorter than the recess in the periphery of the cam 44 45, thus causing the valve 48 to remain open for a shorter period of time than the valve 28. 1

During the water softening operation the concentric portionsof both cams will be in contact with the projections on the respective actuating rods and. both pilot'valves, and consequently both the valves 10 and 11, will be retained in their closed positions. When a predetermined quantity of water has been delivered to the container the recesses in both cams will be brought into line with the respective projections, thus permitting both pilot valves to be opened by their springs. The two pilot valves are opened at substantially the same time, but. if desired. the pilot valve 28 for the drain valve 10 may be opened slightly in advanceof the pilot valve 48 for the regenerating solution valve 11, thus avoiding all possibility of the regenerating solution entering the service line. Both valves remain open for a period of time sufficient to permit of the regeneration of the water softening material and at the end of such period the cam 49 will close the pilot valve 48 and pressure will build up back of the diaphragm of the valve 11 and close that valve. The valve 28 remains open for a further period of time during which an additional quantity of water, which constitutes wash water, will be delivered to the container. After a period of time suflicient to permit all the regenerating solution to be washed out of the container the pilot valve 28 is closed and the water softening operation is restored.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof, as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, a pipe for supplying water to said container, other pipes connected with said container, separate fluid pressure operated valves interposed in said other pipes, connections between said supply pipe and said valves to normally subject the same to pressure, pilot valves to control the pressure on the respective fluid operated valves, a motor operated by the water delivered to said container, and means controlled by said motor for opening and closing said pilot valves.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, a pipe for supplying water to said container, other pipes connected with said container, separate fluid pressure operated valves interposed in said other pipes, connections between said supply pipe and said valves to normally subject said valves to pressure, pilot valves to control the pressure on the respective fluid operated valves, a motor operated by the water delivered to said container. and separate means controlled by said motor for opening and closing the respective pilot valves in timed relation one to the other.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, a source of supply for water connected with said container, a pipe connected with said container, a fluid pressure operated valve to control the flow of liquid through said pipe, a connection comprising a restricted orifice between said valve and said source of supply for water, a pilot valve to control the fluid pressure on the first mentioned valve, and means for automatically opening and closing said pilot valve at intervals determined by the quantity of water delivered to said container. 4. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, a pipe for supplying water to said container, a second pipe connected with said container, a valve interposed in said second pipe and comprising a housing, a movable valve member mounted within said housing. a diaphragm mounted within r said housing, and means controlled by said diaphragm for actuating said valve member, a connection between said supply pipe and said housing on one side of said diaphragm, said connection comprising a restricted orifice, a pilot valve to control said connection. and means for automatically opening and closing said pilot valve at intervals determined by the' quantity ofwater delivered to said container. 7

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, a pipe for supplying water to said container, other pipes connected with said container, fluid pressure operated valves interposed in said other pipes, connections between said supply pipe and said valves to normally subject the same to pressure, each of said connections comprising a restricted orifice, pilot valves to control the pressure on the respective fluid operated valves, a motor operated by the water delivered to said container, and means controlled by said motor for opening and closing said pilot valves.

6. In a water softening apparatus, means controlled by the passage oi a given quantity of water for converting the apparatus from softening to regenerating position, and back to softening position, a chain valve and a brine valve controlled therebyand adapted to admit hydrostatic pressure to hydrostatically operated mechanisms. hydrostatically operated mechanisms. and means respectively operated thereby for converting the softener from the softening operation to regenerating operation, and vice versa.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, a source of supply for water connected with said container, a pipe connected with said container, a fluid pressure operated valve to control the flow of liquid through said pipe, a connection comprising a restricted orifice between said valve and said source of supply for water, and a pilot valve to control the fluid pressure on the first mentioned valve.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a container. a pipe for supplying water to said container, a second pipe connected with said container, a valve interposed in said second pipe and comprising a housing,

EDWARD T. TURNER. 

